FLUID DISPENSING SYSTEMS

Abstract: A dispensing system for a wine or beer barrel comprises a float (9) adapted to float in the fluid in the vicinity of its free surface (23) within the barrel (1), and a supply pipe (5) having an input end (20) connected to the float (9) so that the input end (20) opens in the vicinity of the free surface (23) of the fluid. The supply pipe (5) has an output end (10) which extends through the wall of the barrel (1) and opens externally of the barrel (1). Thus, when the dispenser is fitted to the barrel and suitable supply pressure is applied, fluid is drawn off from the vicinity of the free surface (23) by way of the input end (20) and is supplied to a location outside the barrel (1) by way of the output end (10). By ensuring that the beer is always drawn off from the vicinity of the free surface whatever the level of beer within the barrel, such a system provides improved quality of dispensed beer and presents much less risk of the beer being clouded by sediment.

Description: "Fluid Dispensing Systems" This invention relates to fluid dispensing systems and is concerned more particularly, but not exclusively, with beer and wine dispensing systems for dispensing beers and wines from the casks or barrels within which they are conditioned. Traditional methods for dispensing cask- conditioned beer from a barrel make use of a supply pipe which extends through the wall of the barrel and has an input end opening in the vicinity of the bottom of the beer within the barrel and an output end opening externally of the barrel and adapted to be connected to a tap or to a pump fitting by means of which beer may be drawn from the barrel under pump pressure. Such methods can be used either with the barrel standing upright or with the barrel lying in a horizontal position on a traditional stillage. In either case it is conventional for the part of the barrel which is uppermost in use to be fitted with an air- impermeable plug which is replaced by an air-permeable plug to admit air to the top of the barrel when beer is to be dispensed from the barrel. However there are a number of disadvantages inherent in such traditional methods. Firstly, when a barrel is first moved to the position from which the beer is to be dispensed, the beer within the barrel must be allowed to settle for a considerable length of time before beer is dispensed in order to ensure that the beer is not clouded by sediment. Also, because of the shape of the barrel and since the input end of the supply pipe must be positioned well above the bottom of the barrel so that the sediment at the bottom of the barrel is not dispensed, there is the problem that a substantial quantity of beer is left at the bottom of the barrel after the rest of the beer has been drawn off. Whilst some of this remaining beer can be drawn off by tipping of the barrel, such tipping risks disturbing the sediment and thereby clouding the beer to be drawn off. In any event it is well understood that a substantial quantity of waste beer, called the ullage, remains in the barrel when the otherwise empty barrel is returned to the supplier, and it is in fact standard practice for a refund of duty paid in respect of the beer in the barrel to be made on the basis of the quantity of ullage. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved fluid dispensing system which is particularly applicable to the dispensing of beers and wines. According to the present invention there is provided a fluid dispensing system for fitting to a container to enable the fluid to be dispensed from the container, the system comprising a supply pipe having an input end for opening within the fluid in the container and an output end for extending through the wall of the container so as to open externally of the container whereby fluid may be dispensed from the container by the application of suitable supply pressure so as to cause fluid to pass along the supply pipe from the input end to the output end characterised in that the input end of the supply pipe is connected to a float adapted to float in the fluid in the vicinity of its free surface within the container so that the input end opens in the vicinity of the free surface of the fluid and so that, during dispensing of fluid from the container, fluid is drawn off from the vicinity of the free surface by way of the input end of the supply pipe. It will be appreciated that, when used for dispensing of beer, such a dispensing system ensures that, because the beer is always drawn off from the vicinity of the free surface whatever the level of beer within the container, the quality of the dispensed beer is improved and there is much less risk of the beer being clouded by sediment. Furthermore good quality beer can be drawn off from a barrel a much shorter length of time after it has been moved into position than would otherwise be the case, and accordingly there is a substantial reduction in the time required to allow the beer to settle. It is also possible for the amount of waste beer or ullage remaining in a barrel after use to be minimised by ensuring that the connection of the input end of the supply pipe to the float is such that beer can still be drawn into the input end when the level of beer remaining in the barrel is very low. Conveniently the float comprises a closed hollow body and a carrier to which the hollow body is attached, for example by means of an adhesive or by sonic welding. Additionally the input end of the supply pipe may be provided with a filter, and the output end of the supply pipe may be fitted with an elbow joint and optionally also a filter. Also the float may be slidably coupled to an intermediate part of the supply pipe, for example by means of a sliding ring encircling the supply pipe, so as to constrain the float to slide along the intermediate part of the supply pipe as the level of fluid within the container falls. The invention also provides a container, such as a beer or wine barrel, to which such a dispensing system is fitted. In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two embodiments of a beer dispensing system in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment with the barrel positioned on its side; and Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment with the barrel positioned on its end. Figure 1 shows a standard metal beer barrel or cask 1 mounted in a horizontal position on a traditional stillage (not shown) for dispensing of beer from the barrel when in this horizontal position. As is well known the barrel 1 has a shive 2 sealing the aperture through which the barrel has been filled with beer and a spiral 3 inserted into a bore in the shive 2. When supplied the shive 2 of the barrel 1 is fitted with an air-impermeable spiral 3 so as to prevent air entering the barrel and spoiling the beer. However, when beer is to be dispensed from the barrel 1, the air-impermeable spiral is replaced by an air-permeable spiral, so as to permit air to enter the barrel 1 during dispensing of beer from the barrel. The barrel 1 is fitted with a dispenser 4 comprising a supply pipe 5 having a rigid portion 6 extending through a bore 7 in the shive 2 and a flexible portion 8 extending between the rigid portion 6 and a float 9. The rigid portion 6 of the supply pipe 5 consists of a length of microbore PVC pipe which extends from the top to the bottom of the barrel and the length of which is therefore dependent on the diameter of the barrel. The output end 10 of the pipe 5 extending externally of the barrel 1 is fitted with an elbow joint 11 and a standard fitting 12 incorporating a hop filter. The opposite end of the rigid portion 6 of the pipe 5 is coupled to the flexible portion 8 by a further elbow joint 13. The float 9 comprises a closed spherical hollow body 14 and a PVC carrier 15 having a part spherical recess 16 within which the hollow body 14 is bonded by an adhesive. The carrier 9 has a bottom wall 17 having a bore 18 receiving a scavenger pipe 19 fitted with a filter 19A. The input end 20 of the pipe 5 is connected to the scavenger pipe 19 so as to open at the upper surface of the bottom wall 17. Furthermore the carrier 17 has openings 21 at its sides for the beer to enter into the space within the carrier below the hollow body 14. Also the float 9 is slidably coupled to the rigid portion 6 of the pipe 5 by means of a sliding ring 22. In operation of the dispensing system the fitment 12 is connected to the main beer line after positioning of the barrel in its horizontal position on the stillage, and, after allowing sufficient time for the beer within the barrel to settle, beer is dispensed from the barrel under pump pressure so as to draw beer from the vicinity of the free surface 23 of the beer within the barrel into the input end 20 of the supply pipe 5 by way of the scavenger pipe 19 and so as to supply the beer from the output end 10 of the supply pipe 5 externally of the barrel to the main beer line. As the level of the beer in the barrel goes down, the float 9 slides down the rigid portion 6 of the pipe 5 under the constraint of the sliding ring 22 so that the beer continues to be drawn from a position below the free surface 23 of the beer. When the float 9 reaches its lowermost position as the level of the beer falls, the float 9 will fall on its side so that beer will continue to be drawn into the input end 20 of the supply pipe 5 until only a small amount of waste beer remains in the barrel. Figure 2 shows an alternative system for dispensing beer from a barrel 1 which is positioned on its end. Since the alternative system is in many ways similar to the system already described, the same reference numerals are used for similar parts in the two figures, and the following description will be limited to those features of the alternative system which differ from the system already described. In the alternative system the supply pipe 5 comprises a short rigid portion 30 and a long flexible portion 31 extending between the rigid portion 30 and the float 9. In this case the rigid portion 30 of the supply pipe 5 extends through a bore 32 in the keystone 33 of the barrel 1, and not through the shive 2. In accordance with standard practice the keystone 33 is fitted with an air- impermeable spiral 34 which must be replaced by an air- permeable spiral when beer is to be dispensed from the barrel. Furthermore in this case the rigid and flexible portions 30 and 31 of the pipe 5 are interconnected by an axial joint 35. The dispensing of beer in use of such a system occurs in essentially the manner already described. However, in this case, as the level of beer falls in the barrel, the float 9 is not constrained to slide along a portion of the pipe 5. Instead the float 9 is able to find its own position at the free surface 23 of the beer, and the hollow body 14 on the float 9 is oval-shaped in order to tend to retain the float 9 in an upright position. Both of the described dispensing systems allow cask conditioned beer to be drawn by means of a hand pump or tap and mechanical pump from the vicinity of the free surface of the beer within the barrel, rather than from the bottom of the barrel.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A fluid dispensing system for fitting to a container to enable the fluid to be dispensed from the container, the system comprising a supply pipe (5) having an input end (20) for opening within the fluid in the container (1) and an output end (10) for extending through the wall of the container (1) so as to open externally of the container (1) , whereby fluid may be dispensed from the container (1) by the application of suitable supply pressure so as to cause fluid to pass along the supply pipe (8) from the input end (20) to the output end (10) , characterised in that the input end (20) of the supply pipe (5) is connected to a float (9) adapted to float in the fluid in the vicinity of its free surface (23) within the container (1) so that the input end (20) opens in the vicinity of the free surface (23) of the fluid and so that, during dispensing of fluid from the container (1) , fluid is drawn off from the vicinity of the free surface by way of the input end (20) of the supply pipe (5) . 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the float (9) comprises a closed hollow body (14) and a carrier (15) to which the hollow body (14) is attached. 3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the carrier (15) is provided with a bottom wall (17) having a bore (18) extending therethrough, the input end (20) of the supply pipe (5) communicating with the bore (18) so as to open at a surface of the bottom wall (17) which is uppermost when the float (9) is floating within the container (1) . 4. A system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the carrier (15) is open on at least one side so as to permit fluid to enter into a space within the carrier (15) below the hollow body (14) from which the fluid may be drawn into the input end (20) of the supply pipe (5) . 5. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the input end (20) of the supply pipe (5) is provided with a filter (19A) . 6. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the output end (10) of the supply pipe (5) is fitted with an elbow joint (11) . 7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the float (9) is slidably coupled to an intermediate part (6) of the supply pipe (5) so as to constrain the float (9) to slide along the intermediate part (6) of the supply pipe (5) as the level of fluid within the container (1) falls. 8. A system according to any preceding claim, which is fitted to a container (1) which is in the form of a barrel for dispensing fluid with the container (1) positioned on its side, wherein the supply pipe (5) comprises a rigid portion (6) which passes through a side wall of the container (1) and extends substantially vertically from an upper portion to a lower portion of the container (1) when the container (1) is positioned on its side, and a flexible portion (8) which extends between the rigid portion (6) and the float (9) . 9. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is fitted to a container (1) which is in the form of a barrel for dispensing fluid with the container (1) positioned on its end, wherein the supply pipe (5) comprises a relatively short rigid portion (30) which extends substantially vertically through an end wall of the container (1) to an upper portion of the container (1) and a relatively long flexible portion (31) which extends between the rigid portion (30) and the float (9) . 10. A method of dispensing fluid from a container comprising drawing fluid from the vicinity of the free surface (23) of the fluid within the container (1) by way of an input end (20) of a supply pipe (5) which is connected to a float 99) floating in the fluid in the vicinity of its free surface (23) , and dispensing the fluid from an output end (10) of the supply pipe (5) which extends through the wall of the container (1) and opens externally of the container (1) .

Inventors: COLEMAN GEOFFREY JOHN, COLEMAN GUY TIMOTHY, COLEMAN, GEOFFREY, JOHN, COLEMAN, GUY, TIMOTHY
Applicants: COLEMAN GEOFFREY JOHN, COLEMAN GUY TIMOTHY, REUNION MANAGEMENT LTD, COLEMAN, GEOFFREY, JOHN, COLEMAN, GUY, TIMOTHY, REUNION MANAGEMENT LIMITED
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B67D1
IPC codes: B67D5